Dr. Russell McGregor has called on Ripple to demand the release of government records concerning potential Epstein-linked influence on early crypto policies affecting XRP. The controversy was reignited by emails suggesting that Jeffrey Epstein may have influenced regulations that negatively impacted Ripple, XRP, and Stellar. McGregor emphasized the need for Ripple to press the SEC, DOJ, and Congress for full disclosure of any Epstein-related influence on crypto policy. The debate intensified after a 2014 email from Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill surfaced, urging Epstein to limit funding for Ripple and Stellar, citing potential harm to the crypto industry. This has led to speculation about possible behind-the-scenes influences on Ripple's regulatory challenges, including a $700,000 penalty from FinCEN in 2015 and a prolonged SEC lawsuit ending in a $125 million settlement. Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz suggested that these revelations might be part of a larger issue.